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 onages; and In 1901 received the decoration of the order of St. Cecilia. She is the only English speaking person and the only woman who has ever been so honored. She is the wife of William F. Pendleton.

Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna, theosophist, was born July 31, 1831, in Southern Russia. Her father was Colonel Peter Hahn,

a descendant of the Von Rottenstern-Hahns of Mecklenburg, Germany. She studied the French and English languages in Paris and London; and wandered in Africa, Europe, India and Cent ral Asia. She acquired complete control of her psychic faculties, and entered upon her life work of explaining the nature and source of such phenomena. In 1873 she came to America, and five years later became an American citizen by naturalization. In 1875 she founded the Theosophical society, with headquarters in New York City; and in 1879 began the publication of the Theosophist. In 1888 she published her monumental work, entitled The Secret Doctrine. The society which she founded now numbers over six hundred branches or lodges throughout the civilized world. She died May 8, 1891, in London, England.

Blayney, Francis Stockton, educator, cler- gyman, lecturer, college president, founder, author, was born July 31, 1856, in Iberia,

Ohio. He has received the degrees of A.M., Ph.D. and D.D. He was president of the university of Omaha and president of Bellevue college. He organized and built the Second presbyterian church of Omaha; and also the First presbyterian church of Omaha and the First church of Hebron, Neb. Since 1890 he has been pastor of the First presbyterian church of Abilene, Kan. He has lectured on philosophy, psychology and ethics. He was acting chaplain under Generals Howard and Crooks at Fort Omaha. He is the author of Monographs on Philosophy, Psychology and Ethics.

Bleckley, Logan E., lawyer, jurist, author, was born July 3, 1827, in Rabun county, Ga. In 1864 he was appointed supreme court reporter. In 1875 he became associate justice of the supreme court; and in 1887 was made chief justice. Late in life he published a book on Mathematics. He died in 1907 in Clarkesville, Ga.

Bledsoe, Albert Taylor, soldier, clergyman, author, was born Nov. 9, 1809, in Frankfort, Ky. He wrote extensively on metaphysics and mathematics. In 1861 he entered the confederate service as a colonel; and was soon made chief of the war bureau and acting assistant secretary of war. He was the author of Liberty and Slavery; Examination of Edwards on the Will; Philosophy of Mathematics; Was Secession a Constitutional Right Previous to the War of 1861; and Theodicy. He died Dec. 8, 1877, in Alexandria, Va.

Blease, Cole L., lawyer, statesman, was born in October, 1868, in Newberry county, S.C. He received his collegiate education at

Newberry college; and graduated from the Georgetown law school at Washington, D.C. In 1894-1900 he served three terms as a representative in the South Carolina state legislature; and was twice elected speaker pro tem. He has been county chairman; a member of nearly all the state conventions; and for the past ten years has been a member of the state democratic executive committee. He has also served three terms as city attorney of Newberry; and is a prominent member of the improved order of red men; independent order odd fellows; knights of pythias; and woodmen of the world. In 1905-09 he was a member of the South Carolina state senate; and was the president pro tem of that body.

Bledsoe, Jesse, lawyer, jurist. United states senator, was born April 6, 1776, in Culpeper county, Va. He was at one time a distinguished advocate and jurist of Kentucky. In 1813-15 he was United States senator from Kentucky. He was professor of law in the university of Transylvania; and chief justice of the supreme court of Kentucky. He died June 30, 1837, in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Bleeeker, Ann Eliza, poet, was born in October, 1753, in New York City. Some years after her death her stories and poems were collected and published under the title of Posthumous Works of Ann Eliza Bleeeker in Prose and Verse, with a memoir by her daughter, Margaretta V. Faugeres. She died Nov. 33, 1783, in Tomhannock, N.Y.

Bleeeker, Anthony, lawyer, founder, author, was born in October, 1770, in New York City. For thirty years he was a prolific contributor of both prose and verse to the periodical literature of New York and Philadelphia. The Narrative of the Brig Commerce is one of his best-known works. He was one of the founders of the New York historical society. He died March 13, 1837, in New York City.

Bleeeker, Hermanus, lawyer, diplomat, congressman, was born in Albany, N.Y. In